Post-Brexit Shipping (EU<->UK): Lack of information from traders

[robh]

How about this for a solution?

People in each country set up a centralised point stocking the games and figures, buying them in bulk to apportion overhead costs. Then local people contact them to purchase what they need paying only local delivery costs.
It could be called something like....a shop 

[Spinal Tap]

How about this for a solution?

People in each country set up a centralised point stocking the games and figures, buying them in bulk to apportion overhead costs. Then local people contact them to purchase what they need paying only local delivery costs.
It could be called something like....a shop 

Edited as I came over as a bit of a xxxx

If they do this they will need to invest capital into the venture, cover all the expenses of importing the goods including the VAT and duties, the costs of running a business, paying back start up loans etc. then pass them on to the customer - basically what distributors do in many markets already.

As such they would add an extra step as the middleman in the chain rather than people buying direct from small manufacturers abroad which would more than likely ramp up the price more than ordering direct and paying the extra.

The miniatures industry is tiny, with the exception of a few large players who are still minnows in the real world, and the cost of holding stock from a large number of very small manufacturers to meet everyone's wants would be astronomical. Look at the miniatures you own. How many different manufacturers are there? How many different lines does each manufacturer have?
How many of each individual type would the shop need to stock?

There's a reason why shops selling miniatures are few and far between, with those that do only stocking one or maybe two lines (Warhammer shops for example).

That's why the old model of trading where you could buy direct from the cottage manufacturer worked so well.

[robh]

 

Guess this little icon     just passed you by then.

[Spinal Tap]

Guess this little icon     just passed you by then.

I'm not always the brightest lamp in the street 😀

[Hammers]

Edited as I came over as a bit of a xxxx

If they do this they will need to invest capital into the venture, cover all the expenses of importing the goods including the VAT and duties, the costs of running a business, paying back start up loans etc. then pass them on to the customer - basically what distributors do in many markets already.

As such they would add an extra step as the middleman in the chain rather than people buying direct from small manufacturers abroad which would more than likely ramp up the price more than ordering direct and paying the extra.

The miniatures industry is tiny, with the exception of a few large players who are still minnows in the real world, and the cost of holding stock from a large number of very small manufacturers to meet everyone's wants would be astronomical. Look at the miniatures you own. How many different manufacturers are there? How many different lines does each manufacturer have?
How many of each individual type would the shop need to stock?

There's a reason why shops selling miniatures are few and far between, with those that do only stocking one or maybe two lines (Warhammer shops for example).

That's why the old model of trading where you could buy direct from the cottage manufacturer worked so well.

I know of several shops like this in major cities within the EU. In Stockholm there is Alphaspel.se which makes it work (so far). They stock GW, NorthStar, Perry, Mithril... well, a huge array. I will be following if and how they are  able to absorb the increased cost of imports from the UK.

[Hammers]

Has anyone else noticed their current orders from the UK stalling? I made an order on a good deal for magnetic sheets (to use for safe miniature storage) through amazon.co.uk and it is taking a really long time.  What I can tell from the parcel tracking it has been stuck in Rochester, Kent GB. It is understandable, from what I hear about the confusion surrounding exports.

[Coenus Scaldingus]

Has anyone else noticed their current orders from the UK stalling?

Packages from the UK have been very slow for the past year or so I've found - easily took 1-2 weeks longer compared to the norm in 2018. Put it down to potential Brexit preparations, though looking at it now I'm not convinced a lot of planning and testing of post-Brexit procedures was ever in place!
Most of mine weren't tracked though, so I can't see where they were stuck...

[Dags]

I think the pandemic and lockdowns are having a major effect on postage speeds.... increased usage (more peeps buying stuff online because the shops are closed) and fewer staff due to illness and isolations.

[Hammers]

I think the pandemic and lockdowns are having a major effect on postage speeds.... increased usage (more peeps buying stuff online because the shops are closed) and fewer staff due to illness and isolations.

OK. Good to know. Thanks.

[Spinal Tap]

I know of several shops like this in major cities within the EU. In Stockholm there is Alphaspel.se which makes it work (so far). They stock GW, NorthStar, Perry, Mithril... well, a huge array. I will be following if and how they are  able to absorb the increased cost of imports from the UK.

But GW, Northstar, Perry etc. are all relatively big players and should be able to flex to meet the new rules as they are exporting in biggish numbers.

But the UK is awash with small one man bands (as I'm sure the rest of Europe is) who survive by selling direct and most wont be VAT registered; it's going to be difficult for their current business model to survive long term in it's current form.

I'm sure there are numerous ways they can address this but some will be unable or unwilling to do so which reduces consumer choice - not a good thing for us, the end user.

[Andrew Rae]

2 companies Warlord and perry are vat registered and charge at source paying the relevant charges this is gold standard

Perry appear not to collect VAT on non-UK orders. A £20 box drops to £16.67.

Warlord collect VAT on UK orders, but don't seem to on non-UK orders, though the price remains the same :£27.50 inc VAT to the UK, £27.50 to everywhere else, but no mention of taxes. For UK orders, there is a note for how much of the gross price is tax, but not for non-UK orders.

So I don't think they're collecting EU VAT at the point of sale. For them to be doing so, before July, would be a massive undertaking for a small company.

[Hammers]

But GW, Northstar, Perry etc. are all relatively big players and should be able to flex to meet the new rules as they are exporting in biggish numbers.

But the UK is awash with small one man bands (as I'm sure the rest of Europe is) who survive by selling direct and most wont be VAT registered; it's going to be difficult for their current business model to survive long term in it's current form.

I'm sure there are numerous ways they can address this but some will be unable or unwilling to do so which reduces consumer choice - not a good thing for us, the end user.

Quite right. Wargaming is one of my main hobbies and the only one I engage in to some extent basically every day. Based on the fact that a majority of the miniatures I collect and the materials I use is purchased from the UK, it is likely that that will be become more of a hassle in the short run and more expensive in the long run. It is certainly not the end of the world, but from the scope of this past time of ours, I assume there will be changes in my spending habits and sourcing.

As I have mentioned before, I have a lead pile which will see me through my seven lean years^*. I am not likely to start on any new, large projects outside of that, but I do enjoy adding a few odd items now and then to, so to speak, "complete the collection".

*) ...although that lead pile my not last as long as I once thought. This pandemic and isolation, as many friends also have given witness to, has done wonders to painting productivity.

[Andrew66]

Warlord sent email stating they were charging at source and a order to perry did charge vat at source

[Andrew Rae]

Warlord sent email stating they were charging at source and a order to perry did charge vat at source

How curious. Both their online shops give the impression that is absolutely not happening, especially the Perry shop with the price being shown without VAT fir anywhere other than the UK, and no VAT being indicated anywhere in the checkout process (except for the UK), right up to clicking complete payment in Paypal. Warlord maybe, though it's odd that their shop system only itemises VAT for the UK, not any other country.

Do Perry send by Royal Mail as stated on their website? I wonder how they'd indicate the VAT had been paid on the CN22 label. Their shop doesn't even suggest that Norwegian VAT is collected, which is a much more straightforward system and point-of-sale paid VAT can be indicated on a postal label.

Anyway, I don't mean to doubt your info. I was just really intrigued and went to have a look for myself. 

[Andrew66]

Email from warlord
Hello Everyone,
As I’m sure you know, there has been many questions regarding our delivery service to European countries come January 1st and the UK officially leaves the European Union.
Our Methodology and motivation for this is very simple, we want to keep it as easy as possible for our European customers to continue building and painting models, and playing games with their friends.
 
From January 1st 2021, we will begin shipping our European orders with duties paid. This means there will be no additional tax to pay for EU customers importing goods from the UK, which also means there will be no additional delay in receiving your goods.
We will also be implementing European pricing over the next day, so you will notice that where you were previously presented a price in Pounds Sterling or other currencies, you will be presented with Euro pricing when shopping from outside of the UK and within Europe